The 73rd Annual Hunger Games
by Derriere Cherries
Summary: An original take on a past hunger games. Forsythia is drawn to compete for District 7 in the 73rd annual hunger games. She must overcome the challenges in the arena or perish. To make matters worse her best friend has been drawn as the male tribute. R&R!
1. The Reaping

**Chapter 1**

It was just past 8:00 clock in the morning. I stand before our little wood stove mixing a pot of oatmeal for when Max and June get up. It should be bubbling by now, seeing as I have been standing here for a good 10 minutes but it's still a cold, cloudy, mess. I bend down to check the fire. I haven't even lit one. Something must be seriously wrong with me today. I start a good, big fire that should last for at least the whole day. Smoke now should be billowing out of the chimney in our little ramshackle house. Glancing back at our fire wood pile I notice it's looking a little low but it's not a problem. I can tell my father to cut some more, or even I could go out and do it. Wood is in no shortage here because I live in District 7.

What is district 7 you ask? District 7 is the lumber district that provides wood and paper to the Capitol. The Capitol is the ruling city of Panem. That's the country I live in. District 7 is a large vast district that lies on the North West side of the Rocky Mountains in an area of what was once called North America. The climate is cool and rains more often than not, and today is no exception as the rain patters against the kitchen window. The air smells fresh and there's an underlying hint of pine. District 7 is nothing but vast forests of pines, cedars, and other deciduous trees. I hear the thumping of boots coming up the steps and I can only guess at who it is.

The door slams open, "Happy Hunger Games!" Shouts a wet and soggy Corin as he rubs his feet on the door mat.

He stomps over to the kitchen and pulls out a chair, flopping into it. Lucifer traipses behind and stands awkwardly in the kitchen, brushing the hair out his eyes.

This is Corin and Lucifer Evans, two brothers who could not look and behave any more different from each other. Corin, the older of two is incredibly tall and strong, loud and boisterous. Corin is the life of the party. Almost everyone likes him, It's hard not to, because his personality is infectious. Then there's Lucifer, medium height with a head of messy red hair. Lucifer is calm and quiet, he talks often but his voice is always slow and soft. Right now he's standing in my kitchen still fiddling with his bangs, something he does when he doesn't know what else to do. The only way you could tell they were brothers is by their noses, almost in an identical aquiline shape.

"What you cookin' up there?" Corin asks.

"Corin, will you please be quiet! Max and June are still asleep!" I say, waving my wooden spoon at him.

"He's probably already woken them up." Sighs Lucifer, still standing in the middle of my kitchen.

But Lucifer is right; I hear groans of protest as Max and June trudge down the stairs from their bedroom. Max and June are my younger brother and sister. They're twins, and although they look different their personalities are similar. Sensitive and caring.

"Why are you so cheerful anyways?" Max accuses as he lands on the last step. He's staring at Corin with a cranky expression.

Max is correct. It's out of place for anyone to be happy today. Today is reaping day. A day where we're herded into the main town's square where one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 is drawn to compete in the "honour" of participating in the Hunger Games. I say this ironically, there's nothing honourable to me about the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is where 24 adolescent competitors are thrown into an arena to fight to the death until one stands alone. It's basically like herding 24 pigs into the slaughter house. So you can see how this would be a solemn day for everybody.

"Sorry." Corin says "I guess I'm putting on a bit of a show, but I'm just relived that my name's no longer in that draw."

That's right. Corin is nineteen so he no longer qualifies as a competitor. I understand where he's coming from. I can't imagine the fear that takes over when a tribute's name is drawn. Lucifer has not said anything but he's looking anxious.

"Last one for us." He says, finally pulling a chair out from the table and sitting down. There is a green tinge to his pale skin.

"May the odds be _ever_ in our favour." I say.

"Soren does it better." Corin says.

Soren Pressman. He's the man that comes every year from the Capitol to our district to draw the names for Tributes and escort them into the possession of the Capitol. Like most people from the Capitol Soren is overly energetic about the whole aspect of the Hunger Games but I guess he's making up for everyone else who isn't. I look at Lucifer, He's already in his reaping clothes. A crisp blue collared shirt and black pants. Simple. He's clean and well groomed, he looks handsome.

Corin looks like he's making an obvious effort to look unkempt. He's wearing an old flannel shirt and his work boots. He always had a bit of a rebellious personality and should have gotten in trouble with the peacekeepers more often than he did. But the peacekeepers here are pretty lax. I'm not entirely sure why, maybe it's because there hasn't been a big offense in years so they've gotten lazy or maybe they've just learned to over look little thing that don't matter all that much. Perhaps we've gotten lucky with our head peacekeeper, Laurent. I don't even know how she managed to become head peacekeeper, she only stands at about five feet but she must be tough. We tolerate our peacekeepers because they could be worse. I've heard that some districts are brutal when it comes to law enforcement.

I turn to Max and June. "I made you some oatmeal for breakfast."

Max thanks me and dishes up a bowl but June wavers, looking from me to Max.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry."

I know she's lying. Of course she's hungry except she's too nervous about the reaping that will take place a few hours from now. June is always like this on reaping days, distant and afraid, only speaking when she absolutely has to. I try and coax some breakfast into her however she refuses by giving me a silent, vacant stare. I give up and go up stairs to lay out some clothes for them. Corin volunteers to eat June's share and Lucifer frowns at him. I tell him he can though, and still to this day I would feel bad refusing him. Lucifer and Corin have been in a care home for most of their lives and I admire both their courage for making it this far, since I know what dim dreadful places they are. Their parents both died when they were around 7 and 8 in a storm. A tree broke and fell through the roof of the house crushing both their parents. I didn't know them either of them until they were placed in the care home in the main village of district 7 where I live. District 7 is big enough that it has a few smaller outlying villages around the main one. Lucifer and I met during school. I asked him on the first day he was there why his hair was so orange. He told me it was because he ate a lot of carrots. We've been friends ever since. It's because of Lucifer that I've gotten to know Corin. Both of them are very dear to me. Thankfully, Corin is no longer in the care facilities since he turned 19 and now works on the lumber teams. He has a small one room hut on the edge of the village.

It's ten to nine right now and I'm wondering where my father is. I'm guessing he got up early to go into town and to do some trading. I tell Corin and Lucifer to make themselves at home while I get ready. They already have anyway.

I wash myself at the wash basin and scrub the dirt from underneath my fingernails. No matter how much I try to maintain them dirt always manages to get under. I slip on the same dress that I've almost always (once I could fit in it) wear on reaping days. A simple floral patterned brown dress. It was my mother's before she passed away. She died when I was 6 of what we suspect was cancer. We never really found out though. I look at myself through the little crooked mirror that hangs on our faded walls. My auburn hair is already drying in waves. I decide to leave it. I look nice enough I guess.

Voices from downstairs travel from downstairs. It sounds like my father is now home. I rush downstairs to say hello.

"Max, June, Wash up! I laid out some nice things for you" I tell them.

"Thanks Sis." Says Max as he and June get up from the table, pushing each other out of the way as they climb the stairs.

"Well don't you look lovely!" My father says, coming over to straighten out my collar. "You look just like your mother in that dress."

I blush and look at my feet, "I doubt that." I mumble.

"I think you look nice." Corin admits shrugging his shoulders and putting his feet up on the table. Lucifer half nods in agreement.

I roll my eyes, "Oh yeah, and I'm supposed to believe anything that comes out of your mouth?" I say a little bit harsher than I meant to. Regardless I add "And take your boots of the table!" before I can reel it back in.

Corin looks a little more hurt than he should and all he tells me is that he wasn't lying. Still, I give him an incredulous look that tells him that I don't believe him. My father breaks the somewhat awkward silence.

"We should probably get down to the town square once your brother and sister are ready..."

I nod and he gives all of us a long, tight hug before we set off. Hopefully it won't be the last.

* * *

><p>I squint through the masses of other children crammed into our town square. Since I'm 18 I'm shoved to the very back. Through the masses of heads I can just barely see the two glass globes holding the names of potential tributes. The tall wooden doors of the justice hall open with a groan of protest and out steps Soren Pressman, the escort of District 7. I can see him clearly now, the screens have lit up with his face.<p>

"Happy hunger games!" He says as he steps up to the microphone "and may the odds be _ever_ in your favour."

Like usual Soren looks completely out of place in his outlandish Capitol style. This year he's wearing a lime green tie with matching eyeliner. His hair is the same as always, clipped short and stark white, like a little snow capped hill.

"Shall we get going then?" he asks.

Soren wastes no time with getting the reaping over with and the sooner the better. I can just go home and live out the rest of my life in relative safety. Unfortunately I will still have to worry about my brother and sister.

"Ladies first" He strolls casually over to the first globe. He lowers his hand slowly and paused briefly for dramatic effect. I feel like I am going to throw up. Just pull out a slip already! He chooses his slip from the bottom and walks back to the microphone. He takes one slow breath and announces

"Forsythia Lind".

I don't move at first. Maybe there is some other Forsythia Lind and he is calling her up. Of course it's me though. My whole world has come crashing down because I have just received a death sentence. I knew the odds weren't exactly in my favour but I was happy being oblivious about it. Maybe this is a dream and in a few minutes I'll wake up still in my home, in my bed under the false safety that a blanket provides. Soren repeats my name again and I have to go up. My feet are made of lead as I trudge through the crowd of staring eyes and sad faces. It feels like I've just walked a kilometer once I reach the stage. I want to crumple to my knees and cry but I tell myself not to. I look into the crowd for my father but I cannot find his face. Max and June stand out to me and I find them easily. Max looks so shocked and June has her face buried in her hands. I keep telling myself not to cry.

"Now for the boys!" Soren say as he goes through his whole dramatic pause again before he pulls the boy's name. He opens the slip and reads

"Lucifer Evans".

Someone somewhere must hate us. I can't stop myself any longer and the tears come down like a waterfall, dripping off the end of my nose as I hang my head. How stupid I was, thinking everything could be ok. Now it's twice as worse. My closest friend and I must fight to the death. I can't breathe again and I find myself gasping for air as I watch Lucifer, silently and slowly make his way up to the stage. Corin looks like he might yell or even start a fight but I know he can't. Peacekeepers like the area like a human fence. His face clearly shows pain and frustration. The earlier relief and almost happiness ceases to exist.

The tears have not slowed down at all. I can only imagine what the other tributes will think when they watch the other reapings. I'll be checked off their list to kill right away. Soren puts a hand on mine and Lucifer's shoulders.

"Ladies and Gentlemen I give you the tributes of District 7, Lucifer Evans and Forsythia Lind!"

The crowd gives a short reluctant clap and Soren is pulling us through the doors of the justice building.

* * *

><p><strong>Ta-da! The first chapter on my own take of a past hunger games is up! Please tell me what you think! :)<strong>


	2. Goodbyes and the train

I sit stiffly on an old velvet upholstered couch. They've put me in a random office for my goodbyes before I'm whisked off to the Capitol. It's at least quiet here, and it gives me a moment to recollect my thoughts. I have been reaped for the 73rd hunger games and now I must figure out what to do. Frankly, I don't even know if I can even bring myself to kill anyone. I don't even know if I've got any innate talent that can help me in these games. Most tributes you see from District 7 are usually pretty handy with an axe. Axe's certainly aren't foreign to me but I wasn't out there every day cutting down trees and learning to be proficient with them. If the time came I could probably hold my own though.

I hear the voice of a peacekeeper outside the door.

"You have 3 minutes."

That's not very long. My family bursts through the door first and Max and June already have me in a tight hug. June is sobbing loudly but Max is quiet.

"Forsythia."

It's my father that is speaking.

"Forsythia, sweetheart." He pulls me into his arms to comfort me "don't give up just yet. You're a smart resourceful girl."

"But Papa, I'm not strong, I don't know how to use any weapons-"

"That doesn't matter; you can win the Hunger Games but wit too." He gently moves the hair out of my face and wipes my tears.

"Just try." Sniffs June quietly. This is the first thing she's said for hours.

"Try for all of us. Try for Mom!" Max adds.

They're right. The least I can do I go down trying. That's what everyone wants, so that's what I'm going to do. I nod silently. The all hug me again, reassuring me that I can do this. But can I?

My father pulls something out of his pocket; I know what it is right away, an old necklace that used to be my mother's. The chain is tarnished and the little emerald that sits on the pendant is miniscule, nevertheless it's still extremely valuable to all of us. He clips it around my neck.

"There. Mom will be with you the whole way." He tells me.

I start to cry again. I can't believe he's giving me this. I certainly won't be taking it off. Ever.

"Are you sure this is okay?"

He nods.

A peacekeeper comes through the door and tells us that time is up. My family tells me that they love me as they're pulled through the doors. That will probably be the last time I see them. I sit back down on the couch. Is that it? I that the only farewell I get?

I hear another "You have 3 minutes behind the door." This time Corin bursts through. I launch myself off the couch and he catches me in his arms. We stay there for a moment, not saying anything. He smells like firewood.

"Scythe...I don't even know what to say." His voice is wobbly and quiet.

"What did you tell Lucifer?" I ask him.

"I told him he has to win. He's my brother but I don't want either of you to die, so what am I supposed to say?"

Of course he's torn and obviously he's going to pick his younger brother over me. So all he can do is stay here for those three minutes and relish these last moments together with his friend.

"If he can't win, you have to."

"Don't be stupid Corin, if anyone has a chance of winning its more Lucifer than it is me."

Corin doesn't answer. He just stares at a book case, probably wondering what to say next. He looks back at me and I'm not even sure what emotion his brown eyes are holding. He looks away again.

"Forsythia...I..."

The peacekeepers come back into the room.

"Times up!"

"No wait! I'm not done-"

"We said times up!"

They grab Corin roughly and pull him by the elbows through the doors. He's struggling but he can't get out of their iron grip.

"Forsythia I-"

I don't catch the end of his sentence. The slam of the doors and the yell of the peacekeepers drown him out.

Well, that's it. That's the only goodbyes I'll probably get. I had a few other peers, but I most likely don't know them well enough for them to come here and say good bye.

Our justice building is conveniently placed across from our train station, so we don't even have to take a car ride over. Soren Pressman comes by the room I was in to escort us to the train. Lucifer is standing behind him already looking shaken. As we walk to the train I notice that Lucifer looks more shocked than sad. The streets and stations are swarmed with people and photographers. I expect nothing less. Every year I see this, tributes overwhelmed as they're swarmed by paparazzi. It's almost strange, how relatively unknown children become overnight celebrities. That is until their dead. Soren leads us up the steps to the train and as soon as were up the stairs the door slides shut and the train begins to move.

"Through here!" Soren tells us. We're leaded into the main car of the train. It's breathtaking, crystal chandeliers, velvet upholstery, and food. All that food, Cakes, pastries, sugared fruits and chocolate. I want to touch everything. It makes me feel sad though. How this lavish train is the norm for Capitol citizens. How they take the lap of luxury for granted and the Districts live in relative poverty, with no real comfort. This food here alone could feed a family. It's not even a meal time. The more I think about it the more it disgusts me. Instead I want to flip all the plates over. Soren tells us to make ourselves comfortable. I sit down on one of the plush chairs. Lucifer does the same. We notice that Soren did not follow us in.

I turn to Lucifer who still looks out of sorts.

"Luce...Are you alright?" I ask him.

"As alright as I could be." He answers, but he doesn't look at me.

I decide to not press him for any more answers. He continues anyway.

"Do you remember Sage Marlin?"

Sage Marlin. She was in our class. A pretty girl with blonde curls. I always thought Lucifer had a crush on her.

"I do. Why?"

"She came and said good bye to me," He shifts in his chair "right after Corin. I thought he was going to be the only one to say goodbye."

"That was nice of her." I'm not totally sure where he's going with this conversation.

"She told me she loved me."

Oh. Now I understand why he's so shocked. I guess it's kind of a slap in the face to him. Here's this girl that he's liked for years and he only comes to her attention once he's been reaped.

"Oh Lucifer..."

"Then she kissed me and told me I had to win." Lucifer finally looks me in the eye "Why would she do that only just now-"

Lucifer is cut off with the sound of the doors sliding open. We expect it to be Soren, but instead in steps Johanna Mason. She must be our mentor for this year. She strolls over to us and sets herself down on the chairs across from us. She raises a condescending eyebrow.

"So look what the cat dragged in this year."

I lean back offended. Hopefully she can tell from my face that I'm unimpressed. I look at Lucifer who is slouched back in his chair looking sour. I don't blame him. Johanna isn't exactly known to be charming. Johanna is the youngest victor from District 7. She won the 65th or 66th hunger games. I can't really remember. The last time Johanna won was the last time District 7 won. She probably is hoping for some promising tributes. Hopefully we look promising enough.

"I'm not discussing any strategies right now." Johanna says frankly.

"Why not?" Lucifer asks.

She shrugs "I wanna eat lunch first."

She goes to get up but I stop her.

"Wait. I don't know what kind of tributes you've been getting for these past games but were not going down with a fight. I'll do whatever I need to do win."

Johanna smirks. "Oh. Do we have some fighters this year? Well, we'll see."

She strides through the door into another car. Lucifer and I look at each other. Johanna Mason is certainly going to take some time getting used to but we're going to have to get on her good side if either of us wants to survive this thing. I run my hand along the soft velvet of the chair. This is a lot to take in all at once. I had no idea that the tributes were given the best the Capitol had to offer. It's strange almost. They'll let you experience what they experience but only if you've been drawn to be killed.

The sliding doors open and this time in trots Soren Pressman. He's smiling and humming a jaunty tune. Now that I can see him closely, Soren looks no older than Johanna does, somewhere in his early twenties. He smoothes down his silk plum coloured vest and stands before us.

"Lucifer! Forsythia! I hope you're enjoying everything so far but if you'd like to join us in the dining car, lunch will be served very soon."

He also tells us that our train ride will only be a short 3.5 hours to the Capitol then he leads us to the dining car. Johanna has already made herself comfortable in one of the chairs. She's kicked her shoes off in the corner and is practically hanging out of the chair. I seat myself across from her and Lucifer goes gutsy and sits right beside her. Soren sits beside me. Suddenly, plates of food are coming from the kitchen and being placed in front of us. Johanna rubs her hands together in delight and licks her lips. Pork tenderloin with an apple cider sauce has been placed in front of me along with stuffing and other various roasted vegetables and greens.

"So what exactly is your job, Soren?" Lucifer asks.

"Being a waste of space." Johanna says with a mouthful of stuffing.

"No one asked you, Mason." Soren says wiping his mouth with a napkin "I'm your escort. I tell you your schedules, give you advice. Simply put I am your guardian until the Games start."

Lucifer now turns to Johanna. "And you, you're our mentor. What can you tell us?"

Johanna stops chewing and swallows. "Hey, hey, Ginger, the time will come to talk strategies. First, I need a little insight on you. Do you have any talents?"

Lucifer looks at his plate and shrugs. He's a humble sort of guy and wouldn't exactly boast about any abilities he had.

"Axes I guess. My brother and I do weekend work with the lumber teams so we got some extra training. Mostly they'd just make is haul logs though."

Johanna nods "You're strong and you can haul and axe, we can work with that!" then she gives him a light punch in the arm.

I decide to put my two cents in. "He's fast too. He was the top sprinter at school for sports."

"Good good. What about you?"

Me. What about me. I certainly can't haul a couple of axes around my head. Maybe I could with a hatchet. I look around trying to think.

"I can climb trees." I say lamely.

Johanna gives me a look of disapproval. I need more than that to impress her. Lots of children from District 7 can remotely climb a tree. Lucifer helps me out.

"More like run up trees. I swear she can get to the top of a hundred old cedar in thirty seconds."

This is mostly true. I can climb them fast. When I was younger my father and I used to play a game called 'mockingjay race' he would hum a tune and I would have to climb to a top of a tree before the mockingjays repeated his song. Eventually I got good enough that I could climb tall trees quite quickly. Because of this I got a job tying markers around the tops of trees that were to be cut down. I explain this to Johanna.

"It's a start" she tells me "but we're going to have to find some weapons you can use."

Johanna is eyeing us up and down in her seat, nodding and scratching her chin. She looks at me

"You...you've got a very pretty face. Work with that, sell it; it'll get you sponsors guaranteed. "Then she looks at Lucifer. "You're not bad looking either...Yeah. I think I can work with this!"

She's grinning and I don't know what she's got in store for us but I smile back and go along with her. I have to go along with her if want to win this.


	3. The Capitol

**Chapter 3.**

We've been riding the train for maybe two hours now. Johanna tells us that we need to sell everything we have to offer and she's right. Popular tributes always do better. So our aim is to become popular. Our names will be the talk of every citizen in the Capitol. We finish our lunch and Soren asks us if we would like to see the other district reapings. I don't particularly_ want_ to but there isn't anything else that I could be doing. Besides, it'll pass the time. We're lead in yet another compartment that's filled with big, stuffy couches and a flat screen TV. The reapings are already finished but the capitol plays them over and over for the rest of the day.

Nothing surprises me about the career district reapings. For district 1 a monstrous boy the size of an ox and a tall, sleek girl with a sneer on her face. A muscled boy from district 4 with black hair and onyx slanted eyes, a striking girl with a kind face from district 5. They pass over our district, me crying, Lucifer looking confused. The silence of the crowd. The reapings continue, a poor trembling girl from District 8. It's District 12 that catches my eye the most though. A small girl with eyes the colour of ice and blonde hair to match but it's the boy that causes the ruckus. As soon as his name is drawn he turns in the crowd, pushing a stocky, medium height blond boy to the ground. He darts through the crowd and somehow manages to get past the peacekeepers back into the town. The peacekeepers are right on his tail though and eventually they'll catch him. I want to know what's going to happen to the boy from District 12.

"Fool!" Johanna spits "They'll only make his experience worse now!" With that she gets up and stomps out of the compartment grumbling.

"She's right. The fate of that boy..." Soren trails off. Then he gets up and excuses himself for a beverage.

Lucifer sighs shaking his head. Nothing that's going to happen to that boy will be good. He looks at me and asks me a question that has nothing to do with what we watched.

"Did Corin tell you...?"

I blink. I have no idea what he's talking about.

"Tell me what? He told me good luck that's it."

His reaction is not what I expect it to be, crossed between a frown and exasperation.

"O-oh. Never mind then."

"What? Was he supposed to tell me something?"

Lucifer gets up and looks out the window of the train. Trees and mountains whip by at blazing speed.

"Er...yeah...but it's nothing, never mind."

This annoys me. If Corin was supposed to tell me something at least Lucifer could tell me because chances are I'm not going to see Corin any time soon. I ask him again but he brushes it off with a wave of his hand. I vent my feelings by aiming one the plush pillows from the couch at his head. It hits him in the back of the head.

"Tributes aren't allowed to fight before getting into the arena." He says jokingly.

"Bite me."

"Forsythia look!"

Lucifer abruptly has himself pressed up the train's window with a look of awe on his face.

"What?"

"Just look! There it is!" he's waving me over to the window hastily.

I gasp. There it is. The Capitol. In all its splendor of what it's described to be, towering buildings, crystal clear lakes, fountains. It's massive. The people here are something else. Soren's dress looks tame compared to what some of the citizens are wearing. Ridiculous hats and outfit pieces, some are even trailing pink dogs behind them. I laugh out loud at the sight of them. It goes pitch black as we enter the tunnel but bright light comes back into the compartment as we roll into the station. People swarm the platform. Hundreds of jewel coloured people, chattering one another eagerly, waving and cheering. They're so excited, so excited to see us die.

I try to win them over already though, smiling and waving back, winking and blowing kisses. They love it. Soren comes to collect us and informs us that we will be going straight to the training center and will not go to the remake center until tomorrow as many of the tributes will not arrive in the Capitol until tomorrow morning.

The training center is a huge skyscraper with a dome top that peeks over the rest of the buildings around it. We pile into the elevator. Soren begins to speak and Johanna turns her nose up and frowns.

"So-"

"Urgh, I hate this place."

Soren gives a look of annoyance to Johanna and continues.

"So, you will be on the seventh floor, for district 7!"

He presses the number 7 button and we shoot through the air at an impressive speed. I don't like it; it makes me feel like my stomach has just been shoved up to my throat. I groan when we land on our floor and I step out as quickly as I can into the hallway. Soren shows me my room and tells me that he will be back to let me know when supper is.

My room is something else, and probably has the same square footage of my house. I wish I was back home instead of here though. I think about how Lucifer said Corin was supposed to tell me something. What on earth could it have been? I can't even begin to speculate what it could be. I wonder about Corin, what he's doing right now, possibly sitting at the table in his little hut that could barely pass as something someone should be living in. Did he eat anything today? And here I am any amount of food available at my finger tips by the press of a touch screen remote on my bedside table. It's despicable, every aspect of this. And what about my family? What are they doing?

I fiddle with the remote to distract myself, pressing the various applications it has to offer; heat or air conditioning, music, a button that opens the closet and reveals every kind of fashion imaginable, or my favorite, different scenes that can be projected to the large floor to ceiling window. My favorite is a babbling brook with real birds singing in the background.

I occupy myself further by going through the extensive closet. Nothing really suits my taste that much as it is mostly Capitol style but I quite liked a few things.

Soren collects us for dinner, which is even more grandeur than our lunch on the train. We eat until there is no way we could eat anymore and then we retire for the night. Despite having the most plush, silky bed I have ever been on, I fall into a restless sleep until Soren is knocking on my door once more to wake us up and bring us to the remake center.

* * *

><p>"We're going to make you look <em>fabulous <em>dear." Gushes Prospero, a funny man whose part of my prep team, his hair is dyed a deep maroon and he wears thick gold rimmed glasses. The glasses make his eyes look huge so he looks like this odd gold and red bug.

Teanna and Nori nod in agreement that's just as enthusiastic as Prospero's comment. Teanna is a tall, skinny woman with short blonde hair adorned with funny ornaments like fruit and stuffed animals. Nori is a short woman with a sheet of seaweed green hair and eyes to match.

The remake process is a little more intense then I would have liked, especially the meticulous shaping of my eyebrows which still burn. Any hair removal was painful though, surely they could have thought of a less painful way.

After what seems like hours of washing, buffing, shampooing, and hair trimming I am finally deemed fit to see my stylist. I wait for her on the cold table where my prep team had done their work.

"Hi there Forsythia! I'm Maria, your stylist!" says a high pitched voice.

I prop myself up from the table. Maria is a tiny little woman with long black braided hair with bright flowers tucked in-between. Her outfit is completely bright teal.

"Hi...wait you aren't the usually stylist I see for District 7."

"Oh I'm not, but Jewel had to take a mental health leave so I'm here instead! I am just so excited" She beams.

"Oh, I understand!" And I try to replicate her sweet smile back to her. She seems like a bit of an airhead but genuine enough.

"If you would please take that robe off just for a moment please?" She asks.

I hesitate at first as I am just about as self conscious about my body as another girl my age nevertheless I try to stand as tall as I can for her. She looks at me, nodding her head as she thinks.

"Hmmm...yes, body straight as a ruler...no curves..." she makes a clicking sound as she shakes her head back and forth.

Oh yeah. That makes me feel great about myself.

"But your face my dear is gorgeous, we must, must,must make this the center of attention!" She says, cupping my face and turning it side to side. "You can put your robe back on!"

She steps back looking very excited. "The tribute parade is tonight and I just really hope you like the idea Silvius and I have come up with!" she claps her hands together and makes a noise that sounds like _'squee'. _

'We're not trees are we?" I ask, hoping that we aren't. The tributes from District 7 are almost always trees.

"Oh no no no!" she says "but we must get started!"

I smile again and say "Work your magic."


	4. The parade

**Chapter 4**

Maria chattered continuously throughout the process of her doing my hair and make up, about how excited that she was now a stylist for the games, how excited she was to see her designs actually in motion. I have to say that our costumes were much more clever than what we usually see. The usual stylist for district 7 has been the same for around forty years and they are always trees. This will be a breath of fresh air to the audience. Hopefully.

My costume is made completely of paper of different, types, textures and colours. The whole outfit is made out of paper aside from a pair of brown leather lace up boots. The costume is more or less a dress, made from stiff paper for the bodice and a tissue paper skirt. I am wearing a cape, and the paper drapes almost like fabric. Then there is the '_Pièce de résistance_ ' as Maria put it, is a headdress, meticulously folded into flowers and birds in bright greens and pinks. It's quite amazing to think that someone sat for hours folding and folding this thing together.

We meet up with Lucifer and his stylist, Silvius. Lucifer is dressed in a similar paper costume, we have matching capes and boots except he is without a shirt. It doesn't look like his pants are made out of paper but I could be wrong. His headdress is adorned with tiny trees and mountains.

Maria smiles eagerly at both of us.

"Make sure you wow the crowd! Channel all their energy! Smile big!"

I take a look at the other tributes as they load us onto a chariot harnessed to two large chestnut coloured Clydesdales. The district one tributes are covered head to toe in glittering gemstones. District one is always a fan favorite. I like the district three costumes, covered in leather and goggles with real working gears in their costumes. Among the other tributes there all different costumes; gladiators, cowboys, waterfall looking outfits, farmers, and coal miners, two of them.

The district twelve boys is there, dressed in a headlamp and overalls, looking sullen. They did catch him, but I wonder at what price. The parade has already started as I can hear the music and the roar of the crowd. Our chariot lurches forward and we roll out onto the city streets. I put on my best charming smile and make an effort to try to draw the attention towards us.

The anthem blares in my ears and the crowd is deafening but we got a pretty good cheer when we rolled out. This year's favorite seems to be district four though, the male tribute is exceptionally handsome and he shows it off incredibly well already. His mentor will most definitely be Finnick Odair, the heartthrob victor of district four. We roll into the city square where President Snow gives a short speech and congratulates us. How this is a reason for congratulations I wouldn't know. I dislike President Snow about as much as the next district resident.

Soren praises us on a job well done where as Johanna tells us, "We could have been worse." It's not often Johanna compliments us.

We eat another delectable meal of roast beef and steamed vegetables and lemon pudding with meringues all together and then we retire for the night. I barely sleep again. Too many thoughts cloud my mind as well as the loud crowds of people in the city streets whooping and cheering into the late hours. I can't even begin to understand how they can be so excited about this. Training starts and ten o'clock tomorrow morning, this is where everyone gets a first look of all the tributes; we're all sized up and judged. Not just by the observing game makers but from the fellow tributes. They'll figure out the weak and strong.

I remember how I told Johanna that my talent is climbing trees but now I realize the arena could be anything. There is no grantee that there will be trees in the arena. Over the years the arenas have been a staggering number of things in real locations or fabricated. I remember quite a few; an abandoned city, the archipelago, the bayou, an old fashioned suburbs, a savanna, vast cornfields, a deserted airport, a cave; the list goes on and on. There hasn't once been a repeated arena. For all I know the games this year could be in a canyon, and I'll be as good as dead unless I find a fitting weapon, but even then.

"Good morning! Good morning! Its time to get up!" Soren is saying as he knocks on my door.

I groan and will myself out of the bed. Clothes have already been layer out for me. I don't even know when someone had been in my room. It must be my training uniform. It's made of sleek, tight fitting athletic fabric. A black zipper t-shirt accented with silver and red. My district number is displayed on the sleeves and back. Tight matching pants and combat boots complete the outfit. It's quite comfortable actually. I put my hair up in a messy bun, which is easiest and most comfortable hairstyle.

I make my way to the dining room and load myself up with scrambled eggs and toast. Lucifer, Soren and Johanna are already there. Lucifer is in an identical outfit to mine and his fiery red hair is in disarray. There are dark circles underneath his blue eyes. He looks like he slept even less than me.

"Any tips you can give us, Johanna?" I ask

She shrugs; her hands clasped around a mug of coffee "Nothing that your supervisor wont be able to tell you. Just make sure you don't go all out showing off, the time for that is during the individual sessions. "

Lucifer and I nod, taking in her information.

" Also, don't try and play the weakling game, the tributes will see right through that, they know I'm your mentor."

This is true, Johanna won her games pretending to be weak and fooling the tributes. Soren claps his hands together.

"Alright you two! It's almost ten, and its good to get to the training center a little early, so off you go! Do your best!" He gives us thumbs up.

We ride down the elevator, down, down to the training center.

"So what are you going to do when you get there?" Lucifer asks me.

"I want to do lots of survival training but I think I'm going to try the knives."

Knives seem like the best bet for me, they're light and portable, and they are not foreign items to me as opposed to a sword or a bow and arrow. Survival training is important too. I've seen plenty of tributes over the years not only die from being killed by others but the harsh elements that arena holds. My strategy is to stay alive first kill second.

"How about you?"

"Agility training." He says curtly.

This makes sense that he'd want to do this first, Lucifer, lets say, is not the most graceful person I know. Our conversation is forced and he seems stressed out.

We step into the vast training area. It's lined with all sorts of stations and weapons, rope ladders and obstacle courses. A few tributes are already here, both tributes from four, two, one and the boy from ten. Of course the careers are already here, eager to show off their skills.

I decided earlier that I am certainly not setting out to make friends, but honestly, I don't want any allies either. The reason for that is I don't want to make any connections with anyone and then have them die, or me having to kill them. I don't even want Lucifer as an ally, its too hard and too painful. I'm flying solo in these games. My goal while I'm here though, is to remember every single tribute's name.

It's ten o'clock now, and all the tributes have arrived. We all stand around our supervisor when I realize the boy from district twelve is not here.


	5. Training

**Chapter 5**

"In a week 23 of you will be dead."

This is how the woman who runs training, Atala, starts her training spiel. It seems harsh but the fact is that it's completely true. She debriefs us on the rules and mandatory stations and we are sent off on our own.

The careers go straight for the weapons. The district one girl, whose name I overheard was Opalescence, goes straight for the rack of swords and pulls one off the top I've never seen before. It's a long, thin sword with a curved blade and a rounded handle. She swings it around with ease and deadly accuracy.

I head for the fire making station and learn from the attendant who's running it. I get a fire going quickly, I've lit fire after fire in our wood stove at home, and this is essentially the same thing. The man running the station tells me I'm more than competent and sends me off to another station since there are two other tributes waiting behind me.

Lucifer is at one of the obstacle courses, trying to jump over the trainer's mock attacks as he tries to run over large blocks. The trainer trips him and he tumbles down to the mat, cursing out loud. I can see the careers grouped together sniggering and pointing at him, even a few other tributes have stopped to laugh. Lucifer gets up, smooth's his shirt, strides over to the weapons station, picks up an axe and decapitates a dummy in about 10 seconds. Everyone has gone silent; he puts the axe back smiles at Opalescence and the district two girl, who were doing the most laughing and goes back to what he was doing.

I smile, but I wish that he hadn't done that, now he'll be more of a target and the game makers have seen what he can do more or less. He has a lot of nerve though, just like his brother Corin, although Lucifer's is a little more contained and cheeky. He's still smiling to himself as he runs the obstacle course over again.

We're all sent to the mandatory station at once, like the agility courses, the ladders, and sparring. The gamemakers are only paying attention to us half the time, meandering around their area, picking at food and sipping from colourful drinks. The Capitol it seems is very obsessed with food and drink.

After having to go through the arduous task of trying to spar with the station trainer and making a fool of myself, I head over to the edible plants station. It's a big computer program where you are given name and pictures and you have to match whether they're edible or not. There are also books and specimens for you to look at. I spend the rest of my time here until they announce lunch; I want to remember as much as I can since I have a feeling I wont be very successful at hunting any animals.

"How's your day going for you?" Lucifer asks me as he sits down across from me. His plate is piled high with an assortment of different dishes.

"Alright, I'm doing the-"

I'm interrupted by a loud laugh that has originated from the table of careers. The handsome district four boy seems to have started it although his facial expression doesn't read like he just told a joke; he looks more...annoyed if anything. The other careers follow him around like bees to honey.

"I'm at the edible plants right now but you know what? You've got a lot of nerve bub! Showing off like that!" I finish and take a sip of juice.

Lucifer just shrugs and makes a sort of laughing sound "Whatever. I was mad, the careers are always a bunch of dic-"

He is cut off but the laughing careers again.

We have an unexpected guest at our table, the little blonde girl from district twelve join us. She smiles at us by doesn't speak.

"What's your name?" Lucifer asks her, being friendly.

She looks up from her plate, "Snow" she almost whispers.

"I'm Lucifer." He says.

"I know, I saw you decapitate a dummy today." She says to her rice.

"If you don't mind me asking, where is the boy from your district?" I ask her.

She looks up and me, her face fallen. "Oh... He's here, in his room. He's not allowed any training." With that she goes back to eating and doesn't speak anymore.

Not allowed training. This is obviously a punishment for running away at the reaping. His death will be guaranteed more than anyone else's.

"That's a shame," I say to my beef stew. We eat in silence for the rest of lunch.

After lunch I spend my time on the knots and ropes for the rest of training. I like the knot tying, it keeps my mind off of what I'm actually training to do, and I'm pretty good at it, I guess a few years of tying markers around tree tops has kept my hands nimble. They were always simple knots mind you. My favorite is a rope trap that leaves an enemy dangling upside down and I actually think I can utilize it in the arena. I practice it over and over until it's imprinted in my brain.

The Careers are now eyeing up the district 10 boy who is with the weights. He looks young but he's solid for his age and is able to lift around heavy medicine balls with ease. He did a better job of ignoring everyone else than Lucifer did.

We discuss the first day of training over dinner with Soren and Johanna. Well, more like telling Johanna what we did because she barely takes time to breathe when she's eating. I swear she loves food more than people.

"Tell us what you did!" Soren says.

I look at Lucifer and then to Johanna.

"I made fires and studied plants and learned how to make rope traps."

Johanna rubs her face and rolls her eyes. "Forsythia I need you to train with the weapons. You're from district seven you don't need to study fires and plants for very long. Ropes are acceptable but they aren't going to keep you from getting killed."

I sit there listening to Johanna chew me out. I should listen to her though; after all she did win this thing once. I tell her I'll work on weapons all day tomorrow and she deems it acceptable. On the end I add.

"Lucifer decapitated a dummy with an axe out of anger."

Lucifer puts down his fork and give me tired look and goes "Are you kidding me?" All I do is stick out my tongue and stab my asparagus with my fork. What am I five?

"Ginger what did I tell you! Don't go showing off!"

"Well the careers were laughing at-"

"I don't care what the careers did, have some control and chill out." She says as she wipes her mouth with a napkin and saunters out of the dining room.

Tonight I can't sleep at all. All I can do is lie awake. Out of boredom I wander out of my room, I hear quiet noise and talking coming from the viewing area. I find Lucifer sitting there, watching the television.

"Couldn't sleep?" I ask him.

He turns around and shrugs "Yeah, there really isn't any point trying anymore."

I come over and sit beside him on the couch. "I'm sorry about ratting you out to Johanna." I apologize.

"No it's ok." He says quietly.

I sit there for a minute, watching the Capitol cooking show that's on the TV. I get up to go back to my bed, might as well try again. Lucifer stops me.

"No, stay here. It's nice to have someone with me."

"Alright."

We stay there together in silence, not talking but enjoying the presence of one another. Somehow we fall asleep there with the TV quietly humming in the background.


	6. The scores

**Chapter 6**

The sound of Johanna yelling at us to get up wakes me. I jolt myself up, dazed and confused. Right, I forgot we were on the couch.

"What are you two doing sleeping on the couch?" Johanna snaps.

"We couldn't sleep." Lucifer counters.

"Well get yourself changed and in the dining room, training is in an hour." She tells us.

I take my time showering and getting ready. I don't feel like eating much so I just munch on a croissant and sip some tea until it's time to go down. I also let Johanna know that I'm going to learn to use the knives today and she agrees that this is probably the best choice.

Today Atala only lets us know that if we haven't completed the mandatory stations now is the time to do so and then she releases us. I got straight for the knives and spears area, which has lots of stationary targets. I pick a few throwing knives and toss them around to get the feel of them. Throwing around dangerous objects without any consequences sort of comes with it's own thrill. After a few trail runs I'm hitting mostly in the inner circles. Some more practice and I should be able to hit bull's-eyes.

Now that I think about it my good aim isn't that far fetched. Back home kids would play with slingshots or just throwing rocks. We used to stack and line up old cans on a fence and knock them down. Most of my skills somehow relate back to my childhood games. But isn't that what I'm training for right now? A game. A deadly game.

I keep throwing knives until Kingsley, the tribute from district four, comes to the target area beside me. He's alone and he's toting a few harpoons with him. He looks at me and smiles, no; it's more like a smirk. He's as handsome as ever though, especially this close up. What's with district four? They not only provide fish but handsome men too? He turns to the target and throws the harpoons, a bull's-eye, each. Stopping, he looks over at me, like he's waiting for me to go. So I go, three bull's-eyes in a row. Sheer luck, but I pull it off like it wasn't. I look back at him, smile sweetly, and turn to leave the station. I don't want to stay there under his watchful eye.

" Wait."

I turn around and look at him, narrowing my eyes. He's smiling again.

"Where did you learn to throw like that?"

I don't trust him so I tell him nothing, "That's for me to know" and I cross the room to where Lucifer is at the camouflage station.

"Did I just see you talking to the District four guy?" Lucifer asks, swirling some green paint on his arm.

I ignore him, "Ew, what is that?"

He frowns, "It's a bush! Can't you tell?"

"No, it looks like poo."

He laughs and rolls his eyes "Thanks Scythe, guess camouflage isn't for me."

"You think?"

We spend the rest of the day hopping from station to station. I'll periodically go back to the throwing knives whenever Kingsley is predisposed. I'm getting a pretty good feel for the knives and how they fly.

Discussions mostly happen at the dining table and tonight is no exception. I tell Johanna how it's going with the knives and she's pleased that I've found a weapon. I swirl my spoon in my chocolate mousse.

"Kingsley from district four was chatting me up today? Think you know why?"

Johanna shrugs and takes a mouthful of mousse before she goes, " Finnick often tells his tributes to not limit themselves to just the careers but he leaves it up to the tributes if they decide not to."

"Maybe he's just a friendly guy." Lucifer points out.

"Yeah, a friendly guy that wants to impale my liver with a harpoon. "

Johanna no longer expands on the conversation. Something doesn't feel right. What would he want from me? It feels like a trap. So the next morning of training I avoid him completely. Lucifer tells me I'm over reacting, I should ignore him but instead I just flick berry juice in his face.

Soon it's lunch and then after that will be the individual training sessions where the gamemakers give you your final training score. We go by district number so we will be seventh. Lucifer will be going before me. Slowly the tributes file out one by one. They call Lucifer's name and he gets up from his seat.

"Hey, you decapitate all those dummies!" I say.

He smiles and gives me a thumbs up. About fifteen minutes passes until it's my turn. I walk into the training area. The gamemakers aren't completely bored yet. I say my name to let them know I'm here.

"Forsythia Lind, District seven."

The gamemakers look at me. I see Seneca Crane, the head gamemaker is paying attention, and so I start. I grab as many knives as I can carry and bring them to the moving targets. The targets more around and light up when you're supposed to hit them so it gives you more of a challenge on your reaction time. I press the button to start the machine. A buzzer sounds and the targets begin to move.

Loud thunks echo through the room as I hit the targets, bull's-eye, bull's-eye, bull's-eye. Keep it up! I hit every target, not every one is in the very center but most are. Another buzzer sounds signifying the time is up.

"Thank you, you may go." Says Seneca Crane.

I did my best, now we play the waiting game.

After supper, we crowd around the TV on the couch, about to watch the training scores. Everyone is here, not just Johanna and Soren but Maria and Silvius have joined us as well.

The programme begins, there's Caesar Flickerman, the man that hosts the TV spots and interviews during the Hunger Games for over forty years. This year his hair is a powdery mint green.

"Welcome! Tonight we are releasing the training scores for the 73rd Annual Hunger Games! We start with District one, Luster."

A photo of luster appears behind Caesar.

"With a score of…. ten"

Of course, most careers get scores this high.

Opalescence gains a nine. Kingsley gets a ten. We keep listening, the girl from district five, whose name is Eden, gets a seven and a half. You don't see point numbers very often but they happen when the gamemakers aren't unanimous.

"Lucifer Evans with a score of…. Nine."

We breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well done!" Says Soren.

Johanna pats him on the back, "Good job Ginger!"

Now it is my turn. The suspense is killing me; I cross my fingers for extra luck like it's actually going to help me.

"Forsythia Lind with a score of…. Also nine"

I smile. I must have impressed them enough! Soren is over the moon that both of us have received good scores. Johanna is grinning and Maria gives me a hug, jumping up and down. We sit down to watch the rest of the scores.

The district ten boy, whose name turns out to be Apollo, gets an eight, which is surprising since he's only thirteen. The last score is Gagan; the escapee tribute from district twelve gets a one. Maria and Soren gasp but the rest of us are not surprised. He was barred from training! Of course his score is going to be the lowest of the low.

Soren and Johanna let us know that they will be working with us each individually to get ready for the interviews, which are tomorrow night. Maria tells me I'm going to love the dress she has designed for me. Everyone disperses to retire for the night.

I spend a good amount of time of my sleepless night watching the projected image on my window wishing I were back home. Not a day passes where I don't think about my family or Corin. I don't know what I would do without them and that's why I have to win this. But then there's Lucifer, what would I do without him. I lie there in the dark until somehow sleep takes over me.


	7. Interviews

**Chapter 7**

"No, no you can't limp dear."

Soren tells me this as I try to shuffle around in a pair of high heels he's given me to practice walking in.

"I know I know, tall and straight." I sigh

"With grace, like you're walking on air."

Soren makes it sound easy but I doubt he's ever had to walk in a pair of three-inch heels. I would rather walk around in flat shoes but as Soren tells me, tonight is all about presentation. I have to look better than I ever have in my life. That seems like a lot to live up to, especially since we'll be broadcast all across Panem. This will be also the first my family sees of me in days. Corin too. All dolled up ready for the slaughter.

Soren makes me walk until I have an acceptable stride and hands me over to Johanna. Essentially it is Johanna's job to mold us into something the audience will like. We try a few personas like funny or sexy, which is a total failure and turns out to be more humorous. Judging by my performance at the parade Johanna says I should be able to charm the audience to no end so we settle on charming and charismatic. They like the bubbly, sweet personality a lot in the capitol. I have to think of it as an extension of my actual personality, I'm not that over the top in real life. Whatever gets you sponsors though.

Frankly, this probably goes against all my ethics and morals. Right now I have to look past that. I don't want to, I don't like these people, I don't like the games, and I don't like anything about it. I hate it! I hide it well though. I work with Johanna until I've got the perfect laugh and smile down to a fine art.

That night we have a relatively quiet dinner. No one has anything to really say and there is only small talk. It's not awkward it's calm. It might be Lucifer; he seems to thrive in silence. Perhaps everyone is taking an example of him. His calmness seems to stay with me for the rest of the night because I fall into a peaceful easy sleep.

I am woken by the sound of my prep team nocking on my door and bustling themselves into my room until I can even invite them in. Prospero tells me once again that I'm going to look _fabulous. _The process is long and tedious and I find it hard to sit still and cooperate with them. I need to get up and move around, my legs fall asleep more than once_. _

They make up my face so that it's as smooth and clear as porcelain. They do up my eyes with long eyelashes and bright eye shadows dotted with green gems. Nori comes over to work on my hair, she leans over with a hand held contraption and I can see the heat radiating off it. I jump out of my seat alarmed.

"Relax, it's a flat iron, it makes your hair straight." She says.

I laugh sheepishly and sit back on my chair. Nori straightens my hair so it falls in a soft, glossy sheet down my back. Then she pins on a hair ornament that resembles an oak leaf.

Finally Maria comes with my dress, the bag it's in almost the same size as her. As she takes it out of the bag I can see that it's in lovely silk greens. She helps me into the dress and a pair of heeled sandals. She turns me around to face the mirror. I gasp; the woman looking back at me is not my self. She is not the face that I recognize with her wispy auburn hair and simple flannel shirts.

I want to say something to Maria but no words make it out of my mouth. I touch my face, hair, and the beautiful dress, which is a stunning halter style; to make sure that the person I'm looking at is actually me. Maria can most certainly work magic.

"Maria…I"

"You look stunning," she tells me.

"Beautiful"

"Amazing"

"_Fabulous" adds_ Prospero one more time.

"Give me your best smile" Says Maria "Like you're on stage already"

I turn around and flash them a winning smile.

"You're ready! Let's meet up with everyone else."

Everyone follows me out, Maria fixing the end of my gown as we shuffle out the door. Everyone else is already waiting at the elevator. Lucifer looks fantastic dressed in a slick dark blue suit. He smiles at me and raises his eyebrows.

"You clean up well!" He says

"Same goes for you."

Maria suddenly jumps as we ride the elevator down.

"I almost forgot! This is just goes perfectly with your dress."

She pulls out the little emerald necklace that was my mothers and puts it around my neck. I thank her.

We are lined up in district order back stage before we are to take our places on stage. I hear music starting and the infectious laugh of Caesar Flickerman as he welcomes the crowd. We are herded on stage to take our seats.

"Welcome, welcome!" Caesar says.

He tells a few jokes before he welcomes Opalescence from district one to join him for the interview. She looks dazzling, her tanned skin dotted with jewels. There are all kinds of personas this year, Luster, the District one boy is big and burly with muscles that could snap you in half. I get the feeling he's got a brain the size of a toddler's fist though. Anemone, from district four tries to pull the cute angle, but it doesn't work well, even with Caesars help. I have a feeling it wasn't what she was supposed to do. Kingsley's interview slides along flawlessly and pulls some jokes that even I laugh at. Like when he asks Caesar if he should have gone into modeling and does a strut down the stage in a somewhat goofy fashion, his suit jacket slung over his shoulder. The crowd eats it up nonetheless, hooting and hollering his name.

Even though the interviews last three minutes exactly, I can't help but want to fall asleep. It feels like forever until my name is called and I'm making my way up to Caesar. I do my best to play up the crowd. It's easy and I don't feel nervous, something about it feels right. The crowd is in a hush as I walk up. I take a seat.

"So Forsythia, what do you think of the Capitol."

Oh. That's easy.

"Where do I begin Caesar? I think the food is anything more than I could have dreamed of!"

Caesar laughs, "The food is excellent isn't it?"

"And the clothes are the loveliest things I've ever seen!" I say as I smooth the front my dress.

"Aren't they!" Caesar says fixing is collar and doing that outrageous laugh of his again. I laugh with him. "Might I add how absolutely stunning you look tonight."

I blush and laugh and ask him if his eyesight is going bad.

"Look how charming she is! How did you get like that with a surly mentor like Johanna Mason?"

The crowd laughs and Johanna sticks out her tongue at the cameras. I wave it off laughing. Caesar compliments me on my nine in training and asks me what my biggest strength in the arena is. I don't want to give anything away

"You have to be able to reach me to kill me." I say raising my eyebrows and smiling a little smug.

"How true!"

"Now, Forsythia" Caesar's voice has taken on a more serious tone "what do you think of your district partner, Lucifer?"

Oh no. No. I wasn't expecting a question like this. They've caught me off guard and I stumble through my words. Who is he asking about again?

"Lucifer?"

"Yes"

"He's…. he's my best friend. We've been friends ever since I can remember…"

There is a gasp among the crowd. I can tell even Caesar wasn't expecting this answer because he looks taken aback. The crowd sighs in sympathy.

"That's a stroke of bad luck," says Caesar as he places his hand on my shoulder. I nod. The buzzer goes off. My time is up. I stand up and give a final curtsey, as Caesar holds up my hand.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! District seven! Forsythia Lind"

The crowd cheers as I make my way back to my seat. Lucifer puts his hand on my shoulder as we pass each other. Lucifer's interview goes well. Caesar and him have this sort of witty banter and Lucifer has this dry humour that the audience loves. When Caesar asks him about me he addresses the crowd as a whole and says he couldn't have asked for a better friend. The crowd gives a collective "Aww". Before I know it his time is up and they're bringing up the district eight tribute girl, Chiffon, who is ironically dressed in chiffon.

The rest of the interviews seem to fly by. I watch the screens between flashes of the interviews and Kingsley dressed in ocean blue, it mostly alternates between myself and Lucifer sitting side by side.

Last to go is Gagan, from district twelve who refuses to cooperate in any way. He does not answer any of Caesar's questions and only nods his head once or twice. Even Caesar can't make him shine if he doesn't speak at all. His buzzer goes off and Caesar looks relived. The anthem plays and we file off stage.

The whole crew meets us backstage to congratulate us on a job well done. We file into the elevators with some other tributes. As we step off the elevators for some reason I feel guilty about reveling the friendship between Lucifer and I but Johanna assures that with will get us sponsors. I'm not going to be working with Lucifer in the games though! I don't want to be anywhere near him! How are we going to get sponsors that way?

We have an exceptionally decadent dinner to celebrate. The thought that the games are just around the corner though makes me sick to my stomach, so I barely touch my fillet mignon with peppercorn sauce. I excuse myself from my table and retreat to my room. I spend almost forty-five minutes in the shower just standing under the warmth of the water. It gives me this feeling that I'm some how safe. I dry myself and slip under my covers and coax myself into sleep.

My dreams that night are especially horrific. The games feature in everyone each in a different location. There are faceless people slitting my throat and stabbing me in the back. The careers hunting me down the whole games, stranding me to the tops of trees until they shoot me down. Twisted images of my friends and family cheering on my brutal death. I wake shaking and sweaty, wishing I had Lucifer here to calm me.

The sound of Soren knocking on my door wakes me up. Today is the day it's finally here. I crawl out of bed and dress myself. Some clothes have been laid out for me the night before. It's not anything I'll be wearing in the arena except for a long sleeved brown turtleneck. The rest will be given to me right before. We are up early even though the games do not start until ten. There's a lot to prepare for. Actually, all the preparation in the world couldn't make me ready for this. I slip on my mother's necklace and wait until Johanna, in silence, escorts me to the roof. Soren has taken Lucifer separately.

The hovercraft is there already waiting for me. Johanna places a hand on my shoulder. She looks the most compassionate I've seen since…ever.

"Don't accept your death until it's looking you right in the face. You can do this."

She looks sincere.

I nod, "I won't"

She waves goodbye and I am brought up to the hovercraft. A peacekeeper inserts a tracker in my arm with a large needle, which makes me panic. Then I am led to a sitting area where breakfast has been laid out. I eat as much as I can, who knows when I'll eat again. Out the window below I can see a long river and thousands of trees. I can't imagine where we could be going.

We ride for about two hours before the windows black out and we touch down at the arena. I'm lead to my launch room, which is right underneath the arena, but two big and burly peacekeepers. Maria is there waiting there for me. She's happy to see me but is not as bubbly and chipper as usual but she reassures and comforts me. She brings me my arena out fit and helps me with it.

There's a pair of beige cargos with a thick belt. I have boots that lace up to just below my knees. They're an odd combination between gumboots and hiking boots, water resistant with good grip. Maria brings me my last piece, a thick green raincoat complete with a hood. She tells me it's been wonderful working with me and that she couldn't have asked for a better tribute for her first year in the games. I can't help but smile. She may be an airhead and a Capitol citizen but I think her heart is in the right place.

Maria puts my hair in a messy bun, keeping it in with pins. It looks much nicer than when I do it. She takes out one of the bright yellow flowers that are tucked in her braid and secures it in my bun. I hadn't noticed what they were before, now I realize that they are Forsythia blossoms.

"Thank you…"

She swipes some mascara on me.

"For good luck." She tells me.

A voice comes over the speakers in the room "Sixty seconds to launch."

I begin to shake. I don't want this. I don't want to do this. She tries to keep me calm but it doesn't work. I close my eyes one last time and try to imagine home, hoping that this has been one long terrifying dream.

"Ten seconds to launch."

It's no use. What would happen if I missed the launch and didn't rise up into the arena like everyone else? Probably kill me right here down in the launch room they would. I step into the glass cylinder that will take me up to the arena. Take me to my death. The door slides shut and the tube begins to move. I bang on the glass, scream, cry but it is no use. I will not get out. My fate is sealed.


	8. The Games

**Chapter 8**

As the tube slowly ascends into the arena if feel myself panicking more and more. I have never been more terrified in my life and you can tell because I can't stop myself from shaking. There's nothing more I can do now than go down fighting. My heart stops as I can see the blinding light of the arena and before I know it I'm squinting my eyes and the air is hitting my face. I gasp, the air is incredibly damp and it's raining very lightly, because of the wind it's hitting me right in the face. It's cold as well. The air is nothing like it is in the Capitol, which is dry, but it feels more like home.

The voice of Claudius Templesmith echoes in my ears, "Ladies and gentlemen let the 73rd Annual Hunger games begin!"

I have 60 seconds to analyze the area. The cornucopia shines in the middle, supplies scattered all around. It sits in a relatively small clear-cut area devoid of anything. It's completely dirt, bits of roots, and leaves. We are completely surrounded by trees like a thick wall. I can't see anything past them. The forest is made up of massive cedars and pines with low growing plants. Everything is covered in moss. I realize what this is, the arena this year has not been artificially made. The dampness, the rain, the low-lying fog, and the moss give it away. We're in a coastal temperate rainforest.

I spot a brown backpack that is close to my right. I decide that I am to grab it and retreat into the trees as quickly as possible.

An ominous voice vibrates through the whole arena, counting down the last ten seconds.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2…. 1

The gong sounds and I'm one of the first to get off my pedestal. In less than 30 seconds I've got the backpack, made an about turn and I'm heading towards the trees. I don't go too far into the bush. I find a sizeable cedar and start climbing; it's difficult, because everything is slick with water. The gloves help a lot though. I climb high enough to not be noticed and where I've got a good view of the cornucopia. My strategy is to wait out the blood bath and then take the left overs once everyone has cleared out.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The cannons are already going off, one, two, three, and three gone. I wait and watch. I see Lucifer dart out of the cornucopia strapped with axes, hatchets and a bag. The district two girl, Amber, throws a spear at him just as he gets to the tree line but she misses and it lands in the trunk of a tree near his head. Lucifer yanks the spear out of the trunk, yells something, and retreats into the bush.

Amber screams and retaliates by cutting down a boy trying to sneak out of the cornucopia.

Four.

The careers are cutting down as many people as they can.

Five, six.

The numbers keep going up.

About an hour passes before the hovercrafts have taken out the bodies and the careers have cleared out, weighted down with weapons forced to venture into the forest. Since there is no water source near the cornucopia the careers are forced to take what they can carry and navigate their way through the woods like everyone else.

I check what's in my backpack; a water bottle, matches, dried berries and a bit of rope. Nothing else. I hoist the backpack back around my shoulder and climb back down the tree. I don't want to linger around the cornucopia too long, in case people are still in the area. I need to get in and get out.

I jump out of the trees and sprint to the cornucopia. No one's here. The pickings aren't too bad, the cornucopia is always overstuffed and since this year people can only take what they can carry it's better than what I usually see. I load myself up. I stick 4 knives on my belt and I even found 2 hatchets in the back. Typically, the careers have taken all the food. All that's left is a bag of oranges and I can't haul that around. Regardless I stuff as many as I can into my bag along with lots of rope, a green tarp, and a first aid kit. I don't bother looking for any fire starting equipment. Considering this damp climate and forest, if you even manage to get a fire started it's going to smoke like mad attracting tributes.

Trying to run on this ground is harder than I thought. Every time you take a step you sink into the ground a bit and it's even worse once you get into the forest. The ground is entirely obscured by moss and large roots from the trees. Somehow I manage to get some good ground covered. It's odd though, the farther I get into the forest there are places that look worn down like trails and at one point I run into a raised wooden walkway. It's old and almost over grown but it's there.

Ideally I'd just like to hide until this is over but I know the gamemakers will flush me out if I try. At one point I decide to climb up a tree again and move that way. The forest is so dense that I can easily move from tree to tree. It's almost fun and it gives me a better look at my surroundings and keeps me out of the way. Every so often I stop and step a trap with the rope I've taken. The one that leaves an enemy hanging upside down. I know the chances of someone getting caught in one of my traps is next to none but it's my passive aggressive way of fighting back. If no one's there to help you out you can die from being upside down.

The rain changes and it begins to pour. I'm not sure if this is the gamemakers or just the actual weather. I put my hood up and look for a proper tree to sleep in since it's starting to get dark. I pull the tarp over branches above me to keep the rain out, it's handy, it'll keep me dry and it'll collect water. Just as I settle in the Capitol symbol appears in the sky and the anthem begins to play. The fallen are displayed.

District 3, Shalom and Imogen, District 5, Ciran, District 6, Sissy, District 8, Chiffon and Lysander, District 9 Durum and Teff, District 10 Shae, and District 12 Gagan.

The anthem ends and the sky goes dark. Ten dead, fourteen left. Let the games begin.


	9. Day 1

**Chapter 9**

The sounds of cracking branches, rustling leaves, and chattering voices rouse me. I can't have been asleep very long. Squinting I can just make out the faint glow of hand held lanterns. It's the career pack and they've stopped right underneath the tree I'm in. This is bad.

I hear the voice of the district for girl Anemone, "This sucks! We haven't found any more tributes"

"It's pretty late, maybe we should just set up camp where we are?"

No, no, no. Please do not set up camp here.

"Opal's right we need rest." This time it's the district two boy who speaks, whose name is Augustin. I can see his face, lit up from the lanterns.

I dare not move a muscle. The slightest movement will give away my position. I'm low in the tree where the branches are still thick. The dark is my only means of camouflage. If there was maybe only one or two of them I could pick them off from right here. This is not the case though. There is too many of them.

"I want to find that bastard from District seven! Who does he think he is, taking my spear like that!" The angry voice of Amber echoes through the trees.

"Amber, we have plenty of weapons. We stop here." Says Kingsley firmly.

Amber's tone changes completely, "Whatever you say handsome."

I hear Kingsley make a noise of disgust as he leans away from her. I follow Kingsley's eyes as they move around until they settle right on the spot where I'm sitting. He squints. Has he spotted me? He stares and I don't even dare to breathe.

"Hey! Kingsley! Are you coming?" the voice of Augustin breaks him out of his daze.

"What? Oh. Yeah."

And he is out of sight.

The Careers have set up camp about ten meters away. I have to wait until they've fallen asleep. I'm forced to leave the tarp, it'll make too much noise if I try and bring it with me. Moving through the trees is almost soundless and the rain muffles it even more. I travel for about half an hour before I settle again.

* * *

><p>I jolt awake. The rain has stopped. It must be late morning, but it's hard to tell because dark clouds cover the sky and there's still a low-lying fog. I pull myself up and climb down from the tree.<p>

I eat some berries and one of the oranges from my pack and carry on walking for the day. Morning and afternoon sort of melds into one here, you can't even see the sun. The cold here really gets into your bones here because of the moisture. It feels ten times colder than it actually is. As this thought crosses my mind I see smoke billowing through the trees about two kilometers away from me. I have the right mind not to stay in the area too long, so I go a different direction.

_Boom! _

That is surely the fire starter's cannon. I keep moving. I have to find some source of water, since I could not collect the water from my tarp. After an hour I find a ravine with a bubbling creek below. I fill up my water bottle and climb back up the other side of the ravine but it crumbles away under my feet and I tumble back down. The fall mostly winds me but I find myself whipping my hand away where it landed in a shriek of pain.

My fingers are already turning red. I look to where my hand was, there's a sinister looking patch of stinging nettles. I sigh a breath of relief stinging nettle only hurts for a while. My relief is short lived, the pain has doubled since I've fallen and I watch in horror as grotesque blisters form on my fingers. The rate at which this happens is ridiculous and in less than a minute I can't move my right hand.

These were no ordinary stinging nettles. Abominations made by the gamemakers and planted in the arena. In a fit of anger I stomp out the nasty Capitol plants with by boot.

Finally making my way up the ravine I sit at the base of a cedar and tend to my wound. It's oozing now and the pain is out of this world. There's nothing in my first aid kit that looks like it'll help. Nonetheless I put some antiseptic on it, which I regret because it burned for hours.

_Boom!_

Another one? Who was it this time?

_Boom! _

What? They're dropping like flies today! I pick up my pack and keep heading forward. I have absolutely no idea what direction I'm headed in. Since thick clouds always cover the sun I can't even guess. After getting through a patch of difficult bush I almost scream at what I see. Now I know what that third cannon was.

There's little Snow from district twelve, dangling upside down from a tree branch, most certainly dead. I scramble back into the bush where I came from. I run as far as I can until I can't run anymore, tears well in my eyes. She didn't deserve this. No one deserves this! Here we are though. That was my trap! I killed her! This poor little innocent girl didn't even stand a chance. She must have got caught early yesterday. I wedge myself in-between some bushes and stay there.

I examine my hand, which is even worse now; the bright red swollen flesh makes me sick to my stomach. I found some dock leaves that are known to relive nettle stings but they haven't helped very much on the Capitol variety. I'm stuck in this bush for the night. I can't climb with my bum hand that is about as useful as a stub. I don't feel safe here.

Once it gets dark it begins to pour again. I flip my hood up but it doesn't do me any good. The Capitol symbol shines in the sky and the anthem begins to play. The day is done; I have survived for another day. The fallen skips right to district four and I am surprised to see the shining face of Anemone, the female tribute. What on earth happened to her that she died on the second day? Then District eleven, Pomona. She must have been the one that lit the fire. I know District eleven is supposed to be a warm place; she must have been really struggling. Finally there is Snow from District 12. Her small round face and those icy blue eyes. The anthem cuts and the sky is dark again.

I try to sleep but the pain in my hand is unbearable. The blisters are now festering. I don't understand how this is happening at such an accelerated rate. Only medicine can fix this, fancy capitol medicine. Without the use of my right hand I am pretty much useless. I have no way to fight or defend myself. I can't throw knives and I can't climb, heck, I can barely eat. You try peeling an orange with one hand. The Capitol citizens should be able to notice this. Johanna should notice. Just in case, I look up to the sky and whimper quietly.

"Johanna…"


	10. Day 2

**Chapter 10**

Silence. Nothing but the low howl of the wind. The gamemakers are really playing up the weather tonight. The rain pounds down hard and the wind cuts right through your jacket. Even a few trees have fallen over.

There will be no tribute hunting tonight. Everyone will be trying to shelter themselves. I shift uncomfortably on my makeshift bed. Then I hear it, a faint dinging like the sound of a homing device. A flash of a sliver parachute as it floats down through the trees. I follow it with my eyes and I'm up and running, chasing it as a gust of wind blows it off course. It catches high on a branch of a spindly looking pine. I've going to have to at least try and climb this tree if I want a chance of getting the parcel. Just my luck.

Slowly, I make my way up the tree. It's really a struggle with my hand. I scoot myself along the branch. The package is just at my fingertips. I slide myself along just a little more.

Crack!

The branch is starting to break. I am so close. I need that medicine. I un-clip it from the parachute just in time as the branch breaks away from underneath me and I tumble down crashing through other branches. I gasp as I land hard on my back. All the air has been forced out of my lungs. I don't care since I've got my gift, clutched in my arms. I open it up and it's exactly what I'm hoping for, a small tube of white cream that when applied to the affected area provides immediate relief. I sigh and lean up against the spindly pine. The dull pain in my back is nothing compared to what was in my hand. I close my eyes and relax for a minute, happy that I at least have one sponsor, one person that wants to see me win. Until I realize I left my camp in such a rush I have no idea where I am. I left my backpack where I was in that patch of bushes. Great. There's no use looking now in this darkness. I have to stat here until morning. I settle myself under some trees and fall asleep.

When morning comes I am up right away. The birds chirp lightly in the trees but the sun is still nowhere to be found. I stand up slowly. My back is still stiff from my fall last night. It'll be fine. I think. What's amazing is that my hand is almost completely healed. Right now I have to find my backpack that I foolishly abandoned. It has all my food and my first aid kit in it. Thinking that my bushes where somewhere north so I head that way first.

After an hour of searching I finally find my patch of bushes. How far did I run last night? My pack is nowhere to be found. Some idiot has stolen it! I'm not surprised. Still, how dare they! Luckily I still have my weapons and water bottle, which are secured to my belt. I have no food whatsoever! In a fit I scream out,

"Hope you enjoy the oranges!" causing a flock of mocking-jays to flutter out of the trees.

That was stupid. Why did I do that? Ugh! I can't believe this! I hope the Capitol audience is enjoying my little temper tantrum.

The quiet rustling of the leaves causes me to whip around, clumsily pulling a knife off my belt. This is exactly what I am _not_ supposed to do. Draw attention to myself and get killed. Simple rules really. But can I follow them? No! I hear a low throaty growl that doesn't sound human. Cautiously I take one step forward.

In a blur of fur and claws I am thrown backwards from a massive paw onto my rear end from a mountain lion. I can feel the blood running down my cheek already. It roars, staring at me, ready to pounce again. It sees me, as it's next meal. I panic. I have no idea how to handle a mountain lion attack. There are plenty of mountain lions in district seven but I have never encountered one up close and personal. Do I run? Stay and not move? Making a rash decision I drive a knife right between it's eyes before it has a chance to attack again and make a run for it.

As I scramble through the bush I hear a garbled whine from the mountain lion. I must have done some damage. I don't dare look behind me yet. I slide down a ravine and run. My boots sink into the ground with every step and I trip on a root more than once. I must be making a lot of noise, carelessly pushing my way though the forest. I keep running until I can't run any more. I find myself on one of those old wooden pathways. How the wood has held up all these years is a mystery to me. I stop and lean up against a particularly magnificent cedar. It's absolutely huge. Its trunk is at least four metres in diameter. I revel in the sight of it as I catch my breath and listen to the soft patter of the rain as it starts up again.

That mountain lion wasn't a muttation or anything. I don't even know if the gamemakers sent it to me on purpose. This arena was it's home and I was encroaching on its territory. I'm surprised it didn't attack me last night. I'm just glad I got out of there alive. I reach up gingerly and feel the cut on my cheek. It's moist and warm with blood although I can't tell how deep it is, I know it could cause problems for me. But wait, I can't fix it up anyways since my supplies were stolen.

My peace and silence is broken as I hear rustling of leaves and the distinct thunk of boots hitting the walkway. Someone is coming. I'm prepared to start climbing the tree but I can't. It's far too big. I am trapped. So I do the next thing I know how to do. I pull a knife off my belt, ready to throw it. The thing comes out of the bushes and I'm nearly face to face with a shiny harpoon. I back myself into the cedar as I lock eyes with Kingsley, his blade still raised.

"Finally come here to kill me have you?" I ask him, trying to sound as confident as possible.

His expression softens and he lowers his weapon.

"No." He says.

I keep my knife poised, ready to let it fly at any second.

"Then why are you here? Where is your posse of careers?"

"I left."

I am surprised, why would he leave a group of such strong teammates? I lower my blade a bit.

"Why?"

"They're all idiots."

"What?"

"You heard me. They're idiots. Every single one of them."

"So? How can I trust you?"

He drops his harpoons and they make a loud clanging sound as they hit the ground. He opens up his arms.

"I have a feeling that you're better at this than you seem…like you know this place. I'd rather kill them than you."

I don't want allies. I never did, but Kingsley is not here to kill me, or so he says. Why else would he be here then? He's right about me knowing this place. It's similar to the forests back home. How does he know that though?

"I don't want to hurt you." He says softly.

He looks me in the eye when he speaks and leaving the careers so early in the game has to be a sure sign. My gut tells me he isn't lying, so I lower my knife. Kingsley drops his backpack and I allow myself to take a few steps closer.

"Allies?" he asks me.

Maybe he can help me. He's obviously handy with that harpoon. He's strong too. Maybe working with him for a little bit won't be so bad. Either way, both of us or one of us is going to die.

"…Allies."


	11. End of day 2

**Chapter 11**

I go into a daze, imagining different scenarios of how Kingsley could kill me right now. He's already asked me to be allies and I've already agreed but I can't help keeping my guard up. I must have been unaware where I was looking because Kingsley smirks and goes,

"Enjoying the view?"

I frown and sputter "No!" but I feel my face go warm anyways.

How conceited is this guy? He takes a step closer to me and lifts his hand. I flinch thinking he's going to hit me. All he does is lift my chin a little higher and examine my face.

"Nasty cut you've got here. What's it from?"

"A mountain lion."

He raises his eyes and whistles in surprise.

'Really? And you got away with just this?"

"Drove a knife into its head." I mumble.

Kingsley smiles in approval.

"Here, I've got something for that." He says, kneeling down and reaching into his backpack and pulling out a first aid kit. He cleans my cut with some antiseptic, which hurts more being applied than the actual cut. I don't understand why he's so gentle and is being so kind. It would be a lot easier if he just offed me right now. You know, save me the stress.

"There must be a lot out here. That's how Anemone went, basically got her face eaten off." He grimaces.

So that's how she went. How horrific. Did the other careers escape while they left her to die a slow and painful death? Kingsley puts a Band-Aid on my cut, his fingers lingering a little.

"I cleaned it so hopefully you won't die from tetanus."

Was that supposed to be a joke? Because he says it with a smile, his eyebrows raised. I don't bother asking; instead I dig my boot into the soft earth, watching the water pool in the dent from my heel. My eyes stay focused on the ground when I speak to him. He looks me in the eyes but I can't seem to give him the same sort of respect. Yet.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I ask.

Kingsley sort of shrugs, the corner of his lips turning up, "I'm not sure. Is that bad?"

I nod. The rain begins to pound down, dripping through the tick canopy of the forest and drowning out the calls of the mockingjays with the steady patter of droplets to leaves. Kingsley flips his hood up, his eyes trailing around the forest.

"Don't you just think that we'll last longer as two?" He says, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and grabbing his harpoons.

I pull my hood over my eyes and scowl, "yeah I guess so."

Being allies with Kingsley will be fine as long as I don't get attached. I keep telling myself this. It becomes hard when one gets to know another too much. It's difficult, in general I like people, I like being with people and I like interacting with them. On my own terms mostly. I feel threatened when someone suddenly wants to know everything about me and I feel no need to disclose any information on a stranger. I guess I'm just wary like that. I immediately think people's intentions are bad, like how Kingsley is already treating me like a friend, it puts my guard up, especially in this sort of situation. Although I'm sure Kingsley will be a good ally. He is strong and smart as far as I know. We will get farther working together; until there is maybe five or six of us left then we will have to split. Or maybe he'll just kill me right on the spot, no longer having any use for me.

We trudge through he forest in a direction I have never been. I assume the arena must be larger than I thought, seeing as Kingsley is the first tribute I've encountered. I wonder where Lucifer is. What is he doing? Has he made any allies as well? And what about all the other tributes? There are still ten of us, both from one and two, Kingsley and Myself, Lucifer, Eden the girl from five, Apollo the boy from ten, and Spektor the boy from eleven.

We walk for almost the whole afternoon, forcing small talk I won't remember in an hour. Occasionally he'll ask me about myself, District seven, or my family. In turn I'll ask about him, District four, and his family. He tells me he worked on the fishing boats back in District four. He was in charge of hauling the nets up from the boats. He tells me that's how he got so buff. I roll my eyes at this comment, unimpressed. I asked him about his family once but he just laughed and shook his head. He was unusually quiet for about an hour until I spotted a bush of red huckleberries, which we stopped to pick.

After a while I ask him why we're walking so far. We must have crossed about five or six ravines.

"Just to set a good distance from everyone else." He says

He tells me that my camp was unsettlingly close to the career pack as well as the boy from ten. Oh, he must have been the one that took my pack. Brat. I sigh; I shouldn't have left it alone. This game is truly survival of the fittest. Something tells me that I am somewhat less than fit for this sick, twisted game of natural selection.

It's verging on evening when we find a hollowed out cedar. We both agree that this will be a good place to stop tonight. I'm a little on edge. No one has died today which means the Capitol audience will be getting bored. To up the anti the gamemakers will start to interfere. I won't be surprised if someone dies 'accidentally' tonight.

It's cold tonight; I wish we could light a fire. I can see my breath clouding out into the air. We eat a quiet dinner of beef jerky and huckleberries. Kingsley tells me he doesn't like the beef jerky, he would have preferred some fish. I tell him he can catch some for us if we find a body of water. His other teammates had used up most of their food in the first two days so all he could come up with was the jerky when he left. I feel a bit more comfortable with him, we even laugh a bit.

"You're not as bad I thought"

Kingsley half smiles, "Is that supposed to be a compliment? What did you think I was a killing machine or something?"

"Honestly? Sort of, since you're a career." I tell him.

"Well, just so you know, I haven't trained for the games at all, most district four tributes don't, I guess what we learn is practical in the arena." He says, picking at a piece of his jerky.

"Really? I just assumed. It's good to know though."

The anthem interrupts our conversation, the capitol seal shining in the night sky signaling another day over. No fallen tributes tonight so the sky just cuts to black once the anthem ends. I rest my head against the inside of the tree settling in.

"Goodnight Kingsley." I say.

I can't see him anymore in the pitch dark but I hear him shift and settle.

"Night."


End file.
